FLC Predictions and Guide Part 4: Positions 1-6.

By: Martyn | August 6th, 2008

1 Sheffield United
2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
__________________________
3 Reading
4 Crystal Palace
5 Birmingham City
6 Swansea City
__________________________

(1). Sheffield United – Just look at their defence: Greg Halford, Sun Jihai, Chris Morgan, Matthew Kilgallon, and Ugo Ehiogu. All playing directly behind Gary Speed and the persistently-Premier League linked/bound Michael Tonge. Does protection get any stronger than that? At this level I’d declare not really. The red and white side of Sheffield also have quality strikers (Henderson, Beattie, Sharp, Stead, Webber), a financial steady spine (parachute payments included owing to their recent Premier League tenure), excellent strength in depth in all positions, the strongest crowds in the league, and momentum gathered at the end of last season after a strong and resounding finish under Kevin Blackwell. Henceforth, the Blades are my tip for the top. It’ll by no means be entirely pretty (Beattie may on occasion be deployed as a lone frontman away from home), but with ballwinners such as Gary Speed battling to present the evolved pig’s bladder to the team’s flair players, expect punishment to be swift and plentiful. Post-trophy presentation will be the cue for raucous Sheffield scenes including much jumping about on the Kop, Sean Bean gyrating naked save for a conveniently located top hat (although he’s done this for a living), and Neil Warnock somehow conspiring to get more column inches from the triumph than current gaffer Kevin Blackwell.
Main Man – Michael Tonge. Deserves another shot at Premier League level, and will get it. Pulls the string only the way great puppeteers can.
Surprise Man – Billy Sharp. Sheffield lad in his second spell at the club. Failing to convince so far, ala Spell One. However, the ex-Scunthorpe United multi-goal nabber might just astonish the naysayers this season as he plays his part in a prosperous side with confidence the core source of fuel.
Kevin Blackwell – 8th. Not the man many Blades fans clamoured for upon him receiving the post, but the former Blades coach did a job once given the reigns. Has had a hit n’ miss managerial career so far - a relatively sound spell with Leeds compounded with a not-so-great tenure at Luton. Expect the pressure to mount ever so quickly should Sheffield United have a slow start, but I think Blackwell will finally get a chance to pit his wits against the country’s top 20 gaffers.

(2). Wolverhampton Wanderers – Chief bridesmaid holding the bride’s dress will be Mick McCarthy’s Molineux monsters! The adversary of Roy Keane bored the world to death in taking Sunderland out of this division, so expect more of the same as the Wolves go up. On the bright side, Wolves do have some very good players so perhaps it won’t all be doom and gloom. Everyone knows about Michael Kightly (yawn), but Wolves also have some quality youngsters in David Edwards, Richard Stearman, Mark Davies and Sam Vokes. They could well feel the loss of Seyi Olofinjana but I don’t believe it will hinder them over the course of a season. Olofinjana may be an all-round midfield player - strong and attack-minded - but perhaps in his absence others will flourish. The Nigerian wasn’t at his best last season and although some might argue that coincided with Wolverhampton’s poor showing, the middle of the park now boasts more depth and promise than it did previously. Last year’s divisional top scorer Sylvain Ebanks-Blake will have to provide more of the same, but Wolves can take heart (and have taken Harte, Ian: A great back line addition) from the fact they have two Premier League standard goalkeepers in Wayne Hennessey and Matt Murray to net-tend. A further bonus this season is that Mick won’t have to tolerate fans nagging him to bring on Freddy Eastwood every time Wolves struggle to solve the puzzle!
Main Man – Sylvain Ebanks Blake. Goals win you games and prizes, simple as.
Surprise Man – Sam Vokes. As comfortable a young player on the ball as you’ll find in the lower leagues. Set to announce himself on a bigger stage after last season’s almost-heroics with AFC Bournemouth.
Mick McCarthy – 5th. Roy Keane doesn’t like him, the Wolves fans by and large don’t like him, and sometimes you wonder if anyone in the world likes him. The Yorkshireman who was linked with the South Korea job last season will never be admired for his footballing aesthetics but if he can get Wolves off to a quick and solid start he’ll at least manage to shut the boo-boys up sooner rather than later. If they’re slow out of the blocks, expect Jez Moxey and the board to act quickly mind.

(3). Reading - Despite the loss of last year’s talisman Dave Kitson, if Steve Coppell has truly got perennial talent-teaser Leroy Lita back on side then a regular goal source to accompany Kevin Doyle’s probable heavy haul shouldn’t be a predicament. The main dilemma for Reading is the loss of either of that pair as I don’t believe they have decisively decent depth in the striking department. Elsewhere things look rosy - the midfield and defence positions provide one of, if not the best back 8 or 9 in the league. Moreover, Reading have height in both areas so they can handle the physical side of things as well as playing their absorbing, sumptuous passing game. The style is so joyously simple and resplendent it won genuine plaudits for aesthetics as well boldness in the Premier League. There’s no doubting however that it’s far more effectual and superior at Championship level, but much like buying a derelict Victorian manor, one has to remove the cobwebs and clutter before it is truly restored to its original glory and this is why I believe they’ll fall short of climbing back up in the gold or silver podium positions. Flair wise, one has to admire the sheer robustness and dynamics of Stephen Hunt, he of the raggedy barnet and Petr Cech skull-obliterating stray boot. Whilst they’ll miss Steve Sidwell in this division (the boy was rampant in Reading’s promotion season, one in which they knocked 10 past us in total!), I do believe they’ll secure a play-off position. Reading have class, a gifted level-headed manager and a tight unit that hasn’t been fractured much in the way of bust-up’s, divas, or wheeling’s and dealing’s. Likewise, Reading are very well off financially so a firesale - sales such as Dave Kitson were only truly made because vast sums were flashed in front of their faces - is/should be off the cards.
Main Man – Marek Matejovsky. International calibre midfield class epitomised last season in particular by a scintillating strike at Anfield and recognition as one of Czech Republic’s 23 best players via a call-up to the EURO 2008 squad. Watch him gleam brighter than a freshly-dipped penny in coke!
Surprise Man – Bobby Convey. Flattered to deceive in the dog-eat-dog world of the Premier League, but Convey was deadly last time out in the Championship so I expect to see one rejuvenated American talent coming right up.
Steve Coppell - 24th. Straightforwardly the slightest choice for first manager to be sacked. Then again, he’d be one of my favourites for first manager to walk. Seemed a bit fed up and in need of a new challenge come the conclusion of last season, so if Coppell gets given more digestives when what he really wants and is offered are custard creams, I expect him to take the sweeter packet. Otherwise don’t expect John Majeski to give a man who delivered two promotions and two seasons in the Premier League - all marinaded in eye-catching football - the sack.

(4). Crystal Palace – What is it with Crystal Palace and late surges in recent seasons, eh? Another was offered last season, and like Wolvie Wanderers I tip the Eagles to carry on rolling with that momentum and secure not just a play-off spot but the third and final golden ticket to the Premier League. Although Warnock has lost young hotshot John Bostock to Tottenham Hotspur and is set to lose transfer-listed Clinton Morrison and ginger midfield prodigy Ben Watson, there is still plenty of belief in the camp (unsurprising with a man-manager like Warnock at the helm) and lots of promises from the youngsters that are set to remain. Likewise, the Selhurst Park outfit have made a number of very adroit signings in the close season, most notably Nick Carle and Paddy McCarthy. Such established recruitments will blend in with and help concoct an outfit alongside players who played their part in the play-off achievement last season; players such as Sean Scannell, young Victor Moses, Paul Ifill and workaholic Tom Soares.
Main Man – Tom Soares. He might be young and raw but his contribution to Palace cannot be underestimated. The heartbeat of the team and set for a great future in the game if his career to date is anything to go by.
Surprise Man – Neil Danns. A player who reminds me of ex-City flop Richard Langley. Signed in January of this year, the ex-Colchester United startlet has seen his career stall in the last two years since supposedly progressing via big moves. Can he finally rediscover his magic touch?
Neil Warnock – 22nd. Simon Jordan and Neil Warnock - a match made in soundbite heaven. The former may be leaving soon, but don’t expect him to give the latter the chop in the short-term.

(5). Birmingham City – Writing all of these predictions so far, my dread for the new season is gradually rising. Envy and awe-inducing are terms I’d use to describe my feelings on and reactions to squads such as the first five teams in my list. However, having the greatest pool of players doesn’t make you the best team so I’ll take consolation and respite in that. When you reflect that ex-City man Cameron Jerome may end up being fifth choice striker at the Blues (behind James McFadden, Garry O’Connor, Kevin Phillips, and Marcus Bent – potentially even sixth choice, should the almighty Gary McSheffrey be stationed in a more advanced role), you do wonder how on earth teams such as ours stand a chance of getting out of this division. It’s not just in the striking department that Birmingham look brilliant either – Muamba loss aside, this is a team that can still call upon Taylor, Larsson, Clemence, Kelly, Parnaby, Ridgewell, Carsley, and Johnson, as well as talented young guns such as Aluko. The $64, 000 question is whether Alex McLeish - a manager who has recently pitted wits against teams in the Champions League and against Italy and France as manager of his birthland - will be able to cut it at this tougher-than-it-looks level or actively relish the challenge of guiding a team through the rocky, choppy Championship waters?
Main Man – Martin Taylor. Post Eduardogate, ‘Tiny’ can rebuild his damaged reputation away from the media’s glare. Every great team is built from a solid defence and has leaders all over the pitch. Taylor can do his bit from the back in order to elevate his team upwards.
Surprise Man – Garry O’Connor - Another biggish name - poached from Lokomotiv Moscow last January – who flattered to deceive in the Premier League. Perhaps less knowledgeable defenders and sterner competition for places upping the Brum work ethic will instil into the Scot some much needed confidence, swagger and a left foot with an inbuilt goal-detecting Sat Nav.
Alex McLeish – 11th. Having built his reputation at Edinburgh club Hibernian in the SPL, McLeish is back to square one: guiding a team through a very physically demanding division where - Rangers and Glasgow Celtic aside - all can conquer all. McLeish has spent a fair bit of money and the wage bill is probably teetering on the towering, so results and immediate promotion will be the minimum expected of him. First trapeze artist shoved off the tightrope though: Unlikely.

(6). Swansea City – Watching this lot do well will have me cringing in the way I do during the totally-not-bias-to-the-recent Premier-League-Teams Championship Goals programme on ITV1, and pain me more than stubbing all of my toes in accordance. The team that are becoming more Sociedad than Swansea enter their maiden season in the rebranded former Division Two (and then Division One). Exciting players such as rampaging right-back Angel Rangel (one of six Spaniards on the playing staff), Tom Butler, loaned Man Utd startlet Febian Brandy, and young Welsh whiz kid Joe Allan could all be set to light up the Championship this season. Perhaps the most important news for the Swans this summer however is the way they managed to hold Derby County at arm’s length and retain key Dutch midfield attack-thwarter, Ferrie Bodde. I tip the Swans for a play-off spot for two primary reasons. Firstly, the team comprises a lot of surprise elements and players and there’s always one team in this division especially that can use the surprise factor to their advantage. Swansea City, with their extensive Mediterranean and continental backbone will prove very different to a lot of teams in this league who are all much of a familiar muchness. Secondly, the confidence running through the entire club at present (be it from the fans, or everything that Roberto Martinez conjures and inspires) will enable the propeller-enhanced Swans zeppelin to rise to the upper echelons of the league. While they’ll remain a smart, technically gifted side who play football on the ground (and scorers of a colossal 82 League One goals last season), they may at times miss the edge and occasional very special contributions that Andy Robinson gave them. Will they win the Play-off final and obtain a coveted spot in the Premier League? I very much doubt it.
Main Man – Jason Scotland. Oft criticised by some Jacks for his lack of all-round contribution, there’s no denying the importance of a regular goal getter.
Surprise Man – Guillem Bauza. Burgeoning with potential and crucial goals. The young Billericay Town FA-Cup party-pooper, who doubles up as Super Mario foe and Peach-snatcher King Koopa in his spare time, can go as far as he wants.
Roberto Martinez – 21st. Highly, highly unlikely. A candidate to be first poached mind.